Excerpt from Mysteries of the Vital Element in Connexion With Dreams, Somnambulism, Trance, Vital Photography, Faith and Will, Anaesthesia, Nervous Congestion and Creative Function: Modern Spiritualism Explained In presenting to the medical profession a second edition of "The History of Anaesthetic Discovery," it is with the conviction that it will be received with the same indulgent and liberal spirit which characterized the reception of the first imperfect edition, published in Bruges 1868. That the development of modern Anaesthesia should have been closely associated with that condition of insensibility induced by the mesmeric process or "nervous congestive state of brain," cannot excite astonishment when it is remembered that the first authentically recorded anaesthetic surgical operation was performed as early as April, 1829, by the eminent French surgeon, Jules Cloquet, who removed the cancerous breast of a lady who had been rendered unconscious, in view of the operation being painless. It was the knowledge of this fact which induced me to repeat in 1841, the nervous congestive or mesmeric comatose state in a child only twenty-two months, so that a fungus, involving the globe of the eye, might be extirpated painlessly. The entire success of this wonderful operation at the time, on a child of such tender age, put the question of producing an anaesthetic state beyond the possibility of a doubt, and encouraged further research. Prior to this, in December, 1839, I had reduced a dislocation of the femur, in a negro who had been rendered anaesthetic by the inhalation of the vapours from alcohol. In 1835, I, when a student at the London University College, was rendered unconscious by the inhalation of ether, in the chemical lecture room of Dr. Turner. It was the combination of these facts which eventually led to the discovery of anaesthesia, by the inhalation of narcotic and stimulating vapours. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.